Road to the Crown

"To think that my lands could produce such great honey…"

Taking a sip of the other cup that the servants thoughtfully prepared, I couldn't help but feel amazed. Maybe because of fully natural ingredients or maybe just how popular drink it was in the current place and time, but the liquor I was currently tasting was far better than anything I ever had the chance to try back in the future!

At first, its mellow and sweet taste overwhelming my tasting buds as it seemed to dissolve on top of my tongue. Letting this stream of past, liquid candy flow down my throat, it caressed its walls lightly, as if the innate properties of the honey remained in the liquor and formed a protective barrier on my throat. And only when it finally reached my stomach, did it kick me with its might!

Or I would say, if not for the fact that compared to pure vodka or even booze prevalent in the entire commonwealth, it was a relatively light drink! While uncomparable to the watery beer or tasty yet weak wine, I guessed it was about fifteen or more volts. But while my head remained clear even after I took a big sip, the pleasant warmth spreading through my entire body accompanied by the aftertaste of the various local herbs used to spice the drink made me contemplate the option of setting up my own brewery for the honey!

But that had to wait.

I didn't even get to test how good would the beer created with the help of my system be, not to speak about creating a stable production of it. With how drinkable honey was considered a luxurious item even though most of the wealthy landowners would attempt to create their own, I could never be able to use it as the leverage on the economy!

"Our ancestor really went out of his way to establish those hives… And I hope you will forgive me taking the honours of the first toast, but I think that the memory of the great hetman Tarnowski deserves to raise our cups first!"

While it pained my heart to share this awesome liquor with who was most likely to turn into my sworn enemy, I still got the servants to fill his cup with it. For now, we had to maintain the pretence of our brotherly or rather - class unity, since there wasn't even a single drop of blood that we shared.

Raising my cup in the response of Peter's words, I held it in the air for a few seconds before lowering it straight to my mouth and gulping it all down. While it was a waste to just pour such intricate drink in one go like it was common booze, some traditions of noble life had to be maintained, no matter if you drank with your dearest friends or most hated enemy!

"Ah, being able to maintain his memory and spread his legacy… There is no greater dream of mine. But let's talk business. I can't help but think that you wouldn't come all this way only to have a drink with me, would you, sir brother?"

With how much I had on my head, wasting time like that was bothering me to no end. The previous owner of this city was not only the richest and most powerful man of his age, second in terms of influence only to the king… Yet here I was. Holding his most priced territory, but deprived of the rest of what made him powerful, after it was split amongst countless branch families!

If we went by the historical route, this split would be only increased by the alliance of my ancestor with one of the ruthernian princes, who would soon join the ranks of new crimson nobles, whose wealth would soon outshine not only what my ancestor built, but also the wealth of entire nations on the western part of the continent!

I didn't know how far just my transmigration alone changed the fate of the Tarnowski's legacy, but at least this dear city that would bear witness to my birth measly five hundred years later wasn't ransacked barely a few years after the great hetman's death!

"Sure thing, time is precious for everyone, especially with how we need to show how usefull we are to our new king!"

Even though he couldn't know this, his remark that was most likely aimed to be neutral input, actually stung me right where it hurt. That was the difference between him and me. I couldn't afford to lose even a single day of amassing power and growing the foundation that would allow me to rebuild the Tarnowski's legacy, while he could bide his time in whatever schemes he would attempt to implement!

Watching him reach for the small sack he brough with him and pulling a sealed letter from it I instantly realised what form of approach he was going to take in terms of the real battle that was just about to begin. But as long as I was right with my premonition, he would fail miserably!

"Sir Mike, here is the letter of promise, in which the family of Elia, the girl sitting right beside you, gave her hand to me in marriage. As such, I came here to fetch her, and demote all the rumours about whatever shady relation there is between the two of you. I hope you won't stand opposed to the ways of love, sir brother."

With a smirk on his face appearing as soon as he said those words, just as he himself knew how false and ridiculous they were, Peter slammed the rolled parchment on the table, as if he was a judge slamming the hammer of justice in order to settle the verdict.

"Forgive me, sir brother, but it seems that my memory is hazy after enjoying this royal-level liquor of mine."

Playing with the cup over the table, in order to draw my now clear opponent's attention to it, I jovially moved it to the side, only to have it filled to the brim by one of the servants. If that guy thought he knew shit about the meaning of subtle gestures and nonverbal statements, he was about to be in for a surprise!

"Dear, forgive me my rudeness, but this insane drink…" I drank a mouthful of the dark-golden liquid, held it for a while in my mouth while flushing it around as to leave as much taste as I could, before finally swallowing it and enjoying the aftereffects once again. "... is making my mind dizzy. Would you mind reminding us exactly, how old are you now?"

It wasn't the thing of modern times to consider asking for a woman's age a faux pas. Just like a handshake evolved from the gesture of showing one's unarmed hands, females were sensitive about the age because it was bound not only to their allure, but also their reproductive capabilities. And in the age where lack of a direct descendant - just like in Tarnowski's case - could lead to the fragmentation of the house's power and its fall from the grace, lineage was far more important than in the modern times!

"Dear, even while drunk, you should remember that my coming of age ceremony took place… Ops, my mistake… Should take place, exactly three years and four months ago!"

With the standards of the current day and age where everyone was considered an adult after experiencing sixteen springs in their life, or even with the future reality where the age of adulthood was pushed two years further, she would be still considered a fully-fledged adult with the capability of taking the decisions on her own!

"Ah, just like I thought! Forgive me the question, I will pledge once again."

Ever-so-slightly bowing my head toward's Elia, I used my cup to lightly strike her, as if in the declaration of victory.

"Sir brother, I remember that protection of our benevolent governor ran out exactly at the moment of Elia's coming of age, meaning that since that time, she was the only one aside from the God, to decide the ways of her soul and her body. With that said, what's your purpose of flaunting this useless piece of paper in my and my fiancee's faces?